The United States men’s national soccer team heads into Thursday evening’s World Cup group stage finale against Turkey with the pressure largely off — but the competitive fire still burning.
With two wins already in the books for the Americans and two defeats for Turkey, the U.S. has clinched first place in its group regardless of how Thursday’s match plays out. That means the team has already punched its ticket to the knockout round, also known as the Round of 32.
Despite the guaranteed advancement, U.S. players have made clear they are not planning to coast through the final group stage contest. The team has stated its intention to play for a win against Turkey on Thursday night.
